Sound proofing system and method

ABSTRACT

A low-cost and easy to manufacture static structure and method for soundproofing walls, floors, and/or ceilings of rooms in new and/or existing construction utilizes an asphalt based flexible membrane as one or more sound absorbing layers which may be applied to an existing wall panel or first applied to one or more unmounted wall panels to form a laminated structure which is then affixed to the walls, floor or ceiling to be soundproofed. The wall panel is preferably gypsum wallboard. Each sound absorbing layer, in addition to soundproofing, may also serve to prevent or at least reduce air or water infiltration to and from the room.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/693,311 filed on Mar. 29, 2007 titled “Sound Proofing System and Method incorporated fully herein by reference.

This invention relates to interior building materials and methods, and more particularly, to a novel soundproofing system and method.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In new and existing construction, the interior floor, ceiling and side walls of a room are typically comprised of a plurality of spaced, load bearing members, such as wall studs, and finishing materials, such as gypsum sheet material or plywood, affixed thereto. In many situations, it is desirable or necessary to provide the interiors of rooms of such construction with sound and/or thermal insulation. The sound and/or thermal insulation should be low-cost, easy to manufacture and be capable of ready installation in new or existing construction. The heretofore known soundproofing products and methods have been disadvantageous in one or more of these and other aspects.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention features a low-cost and easy to manufacture static structure for soundproofing interior walls, floors or ceilings of rooms in new and/or existing construction. Interior walls includes the interior region of walls bounding the interior space in a structure including wood, concrete or other walls constructed of any other type of material. According to one embodiment, the present invention includes contiguous, sound absorbing material and wall layers adhesively joined about substantially coextensive confronting major faces. The sound absorbing layer preferably comprises an asphalt based, flexible membrane having opposing faces, at least one of which is self adhesive while the structural layer is comprised of a sheet material having opposing major faces, with one of the opposing major surfaces of the sheet material of the wall structural layer substantially coextensive with and adhesively joined to one of the major faces of the asphalt based, flexible membrane of the sound absorbing layer. In alternate embodiments, a silicon-based release sheet may be releasably attached to the self-adhesive major faces of the asphalt based, flexible membrane of the sound absorbing layer.

In any embodiment, the static structures for soundproofing interior walls according to the present invention are low in cost and easy to manufacture, utilizing, for example, a readily available asphalt based weatherproofing membrane as the sound absorbing flexible membrane layer and readily available gypsum board as the structural layer, and are suitable for use in new or retrofit construction, by affixing, for example, the static soundproofing structures of the present invention to studs in new construction or to already existing wallboard during retrofit. The sound-absorbing layer, in addition to soundproofing, also serves to prevent air infiltration or air from exiting the room. This could reduce heating and air-conditioning bills, by making the room more “airtight.”

The method of soundproofing the interior walls of a room of the present invention comprises the steps of removing a release sheet to expose the self-adhesive surface of a flexible sound absorbing membrane; and adhering the exposed self-adhesive surface to a structural panel of sheet material to provide a sound absorbing lamination. In retrofit construction, the structural panel may be a room interior wall panel, and in a next step another layer of wall panel may be affixed thereto. In a next step in new construction, the sound absorbing lamination is attached to the interior walls of the room to be soundproofed. In addition, in new construction, it is also contemplated that the method may comprise “sandwiching” a sheet of self-adhesive asphalt based material between two sheet of structural material, such as gypsum wallboard, and then affixing the three part laminated structure to a floor, wall or ceiling to be soundproofed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects, inventive aspects and advantageous features of the present invention will become apparent as it becomes better understood by reference to the following, solely exemplary, detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments, and to the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partially broken away front pictorial view of a two-sided soundproofing membrane with release sheets on each side in accord with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the two-sided soundproofing membrane of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a partially pictorial, partially schematic side view of one embodiment of a soundproofing product in accord with the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a partially pictorial, partially schematic side view of another embodiment of a soundproofing product in accord with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIG. 1, generally designated at 10 is a soundproofing membrane in accord with the present invention. The soundproofing membrane 10 is preferably flexible and constructed from an elastomeric sheet 12, preferably asphalt based, which prevents sound transmission from one side to the other. The soundproofing membrane may be flexible or semi-flexible. In the case of a semi or less flexible membrane, the asphalt includes a high or higher filler content. Examples of “fillers” include talc (the preferred filler) and/or other inorganic fillers such as barium sulfate, calcium carbonate or crushed minerals which serve to provide “mass” to the membrane which slows the transmission of low frequency sound by 0-60%.

The layer 12 is “sticky” or self-adhesive on one or both sides. Each self-adhesive side is covered with a silicon-based release sheet 14, 16 (best seen in FIG. 2) that is substantially of the same size as the layer 12. It has been found that the asphalt based flexible membrane that is commonly used as water- and weatherproofing typically on roofs, decks and other exterior roofing surfaces under roofing material is usable in accord with the present invention to provide soundproofing of interior walls. Any composition formula for the asphalt based flexible membrane may be employed, so long as it has enough “mass”, “pliability” or “elasticity” to serve as a sound absorbing and sound deadening material. If the material is too brittle, it will act like the remainder of the structure and transmit the sound instead of absorbing it.

In a first embodiment, the soundproofing membrane of the present invention may be supplied in sheet or roll form and may be applied by homeowners or contractors to ceilings, floors or walls; either to existing sheet material such as plywood or wallboard or alternatively, may be applied to sub-floor, studs or ceiling joists. Although the soundproofing membrane of the present invention includes at least one surface which is self-adhesive, this is not a limitation of the present invention since it may be nailed, stapled or otherwise fastened to an interior surface to be soundproofed and both major planar surfaces may be self-adhesive.

One embodiment of a soundproofing product or static structure of the present invention designated generally at 30 in FIG. 3 is shown attached to an interior room wall 32 in new and/or existing construction. The static soundproofing structure 30 attached to interior wall 32 includes contiguous, sound absorbing layer 34 and wall layer 36, adhesively joined about substantially coextensive confronting major faces 38. The sound absorbing layer 34 is preferably comprised of an asphalt based, flexible membrane having opposing self-adhesive faces, of the type described above in connection with the description of FIGS. 1, 2. The structural layer 36 is preferably comprised of a gypsum based sheet material having opposing major faces, such as sheetrock, or other interior wall laminate. The confronting major surfaces of the flexible sound absorbing layer 34 and of the sheet material of the wall structural layer 36 are adhesively joined together at their interface 38.

In use, various modes or embodiments are contemplated. In a first embodiment, the sound absorbing and soundproofing barrier membrane 34 could be applied to the ceiling or wall panel 36, such as sheetrock, and the assembly in turn adhered, nailed or screwed to the wall 32. In a retrofit situation, the contractor or homeowner could apply the membrane 34 over the existing wallboard 32 on the wall or ceiling of the home, and then apply another layer of wallboard 36 over that. In yet another embodiment, the preconfigured structure 30 comprising wallboard 36 and soundproofing layer 34 could be affixed to the interior room wall 32.

Another embodiment generally designated at 50 in FIG. 4 of a soundproofing product of the present invention is shown attached to an interior wall 52 of a room in new and/or existing construction. The static soundproofing (sound dampening) structure 50 attached to interior wall 52 is similar to the embodiment 30 of FIG. 3, except that it is a three-layer product in which the sound absorbing layer 54 is “sandwiched” between contiguous wall layers 56, 58 adhesively joined about substantially coextensive confronting major faces at the respective interfaces 53, 55 there between. Structure 50 allows for the use of fewer nails which are undesirable since the nails transmit sound. The sound absorbing layer 54 is preferably comprised of the same asphalt based, flexible membrane having opposing self-adhesive faces of the type described above in connection with the description of FIGS. 1, 2. The structural layers 56, 58 are each preferably comprised of gypsum based sheet material, such as sheetrock, or other interior wall laminate, having opposing major faces.

In use, this embodiment contemplates that the entire sandwiched structure 50 will be sold as an integral unit. This embodiment will typically not be used in a retrofit situation although it is not precluded from being used as such. It is contemplated that in this embodiment, the homeowner or contractor would simply apply the sandwiched structure 50 to wall studs or ceiling joists 52 using nails, screws, adhesive or the like. In a retrofit situation, the contractor or homeowner could apply the sandwiched structure 50 over the existing wallboard 52 on the wall or ceiling of the home.

The invention also has application in its product and its method aspects for flooring such as plywood sub floors prior to the installation of the floor or another piece of plywood to serve as the base for other flooring materials such as tile, linoleum or carpet. In addition to eliminating or at least greatly minimizing the transmission of sound, the present invention also serves to reduce air infiltration into and out of the room, thereby helping to conserve energy required to heat and cool a room. The present invention can also serve as a moisture barrier, i.e., bathroom floors.

The present invention is not intended to be limited to a system or method which must satisfy one or more of any stated or implied object or feature of the invention and should not be limited to the preferred, exemplary, or primary embodiment(s) described herein. Modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in the art are considered to be within the scope of the present invention, which is not to be limited except by the allowed claims and their legal equivalents. 

1. A soundproofing structure for interior walls, floors or ceilings of rooms in new and/or existing construction, comprising: a contiguous, sound absorbing layer and structural layer adhesively joined about substantially coextensive confronting major faces of said sound absorbing layer and said structural layer, said sound absorbing layer comprised of an asphalt based flexible membrane having opposing faces, at least one of said opposing faces of said asphalt based flexible membrane being self-adhesive, and wherein said structural layer is comprised of sheet like material having opposing major faces, and wherein one of the opposing major surfaces of said structural layer is substantially coextensive with and adhesively joined to said at least one self adhesive major face of said asphalt based flexible membrane.
 2. The soundproofing structure of claim 1, wherein said asphalt based flexible membrane includes two self-adhesive opposing faces, and further including a second structural layer attached to the other self-adhesive opposing face of said asphalt based flexible membrane.
 3. A soundproofing structure for interior walls, floors or ceilings of rooms in new and/or existing construction, comprising: a contiguous, sound absorbing layer and structural layer adhesively joined about substantially coextensive confronting major faces of said sound absorbing layer and said structural layer, said sound absorbing layer comprised of an asphalt based membrane having opposing faces, at least one of said opposing faces of said asphalt based membrane being self-adhesive, and wherein said structural layer is comprised of sheet like material having opposing major faces, and wherein one of the opposing major surfaces of said structural layer is substantially coextensive with and adhesively joined to said at least one self-adhesive major face of said asphalt based membrane.
 4. The soundproofing structure of claim 3, wherein said asphalt based membrane is a flexible membrane.
 5. The soundproofing structure of claim 3, wherein said asphalt based membrane is a semi-flexible membrane.
 6. The soundproofing structure of claim 5, wherein said semi-flexible asphalt membrane includes a filler.
 7. The soundproofing structure of claim 6, wherein said filler includes an inorganic filler.
 8. The soundproofing structure of claim 7, wherein said inorganic filler is selected from the group consisting of talc, barium sulfate, calcium carbonate, and crushed minerals. 9-18. (canceled) 